THE TYPE E PERSONALITY

a life without limits

TypeEs – an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the world’s population – love living on the edge of life. They love extremes. They are built for speed, whether emotional or physical. They possess enormous amounts of passion and creativity. Their energy seems limitless and their pioneering spirit insatiable. They live to shape the world, to grow it, to make it a better place, from their local communities to the widest global stage. They constantly live and love and play on the edge.

As an educator, mentor and coach in a world-class health resort, I was privileged to work with thousands of these extremely bright, inquisitive and enormously successful individuals. They were continually on the lookout for new ways to improve their bodies, minds and spirits. They relaxed in my office recliner sharing their lives, goals and deepest secrets. Their amazing stories were literally and figuratively right out of Hollywood.

The more I worked with these incredibly motivated people, the more I noticed common patterns emerging in their stories and in their bodies’ physiologies that were different from the norm. Their tales of success and failure and how their bodies handled the excitement and the stress of living such exciting lives were strikingly similar. They were so similar in fact that I began to refer to these people who live their lives on the edge as having a “TypeE” personality.

When this specialized personality type is properly utilized, TypeEs can expect to have an exciting, adventurous and passion-filled life.

Type A Personality
You have probably heard of the Type A personality. These people speed through their lives in a ball of stress at hundreds of miles an hour, racing from activity to activity. Their purpose in life seems to be to just go. It doesn’t matter why or where. Creativity is an afterthought. Most Type A’s are also afraid of spending time alone, which is why it can be so difficult for them to learn to slow down.

While TypeEs are just as busy as type A’s, they live and breathe creativity. There is nothing but the continual urge to create. TypeEs, unlike the type A, would kill for time alone. I’ve found that TypeEs are frequently mislabeled as type A’s.

TypeE Personality
If you are an entrepreneur, entertainer, artist, scientist, CEO, highly creative, or if you consider yourself energetic, a risk taker or a self starter, chances are you have a TypeE personality. If, in your enthusiasm you frequently get another “E” from others, “Enough already!” you definitely have a TypeE personality.

When this specialized personality type is properly understood and utilized, TypeEs can expect to have a successful, exciting and passion-filled life. However, when they fail to recognize and properly nurture this personality type, they put enormous stress on their body’s physiology and can be in for quite a scary ride personally and professionally.

Three ways to determine if someone has a TypeE personality

1

Offer Them an "Impossible" Project

The quickest way to determine if someone has a TypeE personality is to ask them if they would like to begin a brand new, never-been-done-before project. Since TypeEs are designed to create things, their eyes will immediately light up. When you inform them that the project is virtually impossible to accomplish, a huge smile will also leap across their face as they fight to control their excitement. TypeEs crave and thrive on new challenges.

2

Use of Biofeedback Instrumentation

To more accurately determine if someone has a TypeE personality, they can be connected to biofeedback instruments. Biofeedback instrumentation monitors a person’s physiological responses to thoughts and emotions and then feeds that continually changing information back to the person via audio tones and images on a computer screen. It is frequently used to treat migraine headaches, TMJ, hypertension and Attention Deficit Disorders as well as for enhancement training for focus creativity and relaxation.

EDR
The Electro-Dermal Response [EDR] instrument, which measures a person’s physiological “aliveness” is such a biofeedback device. In TypeEs, higher levels of adrenaline are often present as suggested by atypical EDR readings. The body’s physiology is revved up, ready to create, or when stress is encountered, to engage in the fight-or-flight response.

TypeEs generally have an internal stress response system that operates at a level three to five times higher than normal. They also tend to have elevated theta brain wave levels, which are often an indication of heightened creativity and genius.

One of my TypeE clients EDR level was nearly six times higher than normal while doing nothing more than relaxing in my office recliner! Would it surprise you to find out that this TypeE sold his last company for millions? Or that he had not one, but two heart attacks within the past ten years? Higher EDR levels and high energy don’t necessarily correlate with a high risk for a heart attack.

Brainwave Activity
Biofeedback instrumentation can also be used to detect the unique brainwave activity present in many TypeEs.

Brainwaves are generally categorized into four levels of activity:
Beta – our active thinking gear
Alpha – a daydreaming state
Theta – present in states of hypnosis, dreaming or heightened states of creativity
Delta – deep sleep

Most TypeEs demonstrate higher levels of the Theta brainwave when compared to the general population. This suggests a greater level of creativity, global thinking and ability to focus simultaneously on many projects.

I found it very interesting that the TypeE physiology had a similar pattern to those who have meditated or practiced other spiritual disciplines for many years, irrespective of whether they knew how to meditate or not. In many cases it seemed as if they were predisposed for living a life of joy and inner peace, an enlightened life.

3

Take the TypeE Quiz

The easiest method to determine if you or someone you know is likely to have a TypeE personality is to take a TypeE Personality test called the TypeE Quiz.

Taking the TypeE Quiz is a fun and easy way of learning more about the TypeE personality. While this quiz isn’t meant to be a definitive measure of whether or not you have a TypeE personality, it will give you a general reference point from which to compare your TypeE tendencies with others. Perhaps you’ll discover that you or a colleague is one of the unique 5-10 percent of the population that loves living on the Edge.

A Life without Limits

I have seen the TypeE pattern of success and happiness repeated in many different ways by those who rediscover and care for their unique gifts and special physiology. By creating the proper mental, physical and spiritual strategies within their lives, their gifts flourish beyond all expectations.
 
Remember, never let go of your dreams, no matter how hard others try and show you why your dreams aren’t practical or sensible, or are too hard to be accomplished. Yours is a life without limits. Be kind. Be wise. And above all, be yourself.
 
You are our entrepreneurs, our entertainers, our artists, our musicians, our scientists and our athletes. You are the ones whose dynamic, pioneering personalities thrive on new ideas, formidable challenges and passionate relationships. You are those indispensable individuals with the uncommon ability to coax our future into the present. 
 
You and your fellow TypeEs are the unique people who call the Edge, “Home.”
 
I wish you well on your journey, and look forward to sharing adventures with you,
Alex